Chapter 2
Rediscovering Nine Relational Practices of Jesus
DISCOVER
1. Describe a time when you had a spiritual conversation with someone who believed differently. Did it go well? Why or why not?
2. What do you think is scarce in today’s culture that people are thirsty for?
PRACTICE
1. Take a minute to perform your own quick Spiritual Conversation Assessment below. Rate your level of effectiveness with each of the 9 Arts on a scale of 1–5 (5 = totally satisfied, 1 = not satisfied at all). There’s no passing grade here! The aim is to help you get an idea of where your strengths lie and where you might need to focus some attention.
___ Noticing those around me and paying close attention to what God might be doing in their lives.
___ Praying for those I meet in my day-to-day life and asking God to show me what he wants me to do to bless them.
___ Listening with genuine care, interest, and empathy as I interact with others without editorializing or offering my own unsolicited opinions.
___ Asking Questions that arise from genuine curiosity, drawing others out with great questions, seeking to understand more than to be understood.
___ Loving others authentically because I personally know God’s love and see them with his eyes.
___ Welcoming people by valuing their presence so they feel that they belong.
___ Facilitating good discussions in a group setting so that every person feels honored and respected, even when they believe differently than I do.
___ Serving Together, gathering people to serve and know God and each other better through service.
___ Sharing my own story, learning others’ stories, and expressing God’s story of forgiveness through Jesus in a way that is respectful and meaningful.
2. Discuss your assessment with someone. In which practices would you like to improve? (Examples: Notice people more, ask better open-ended questions, listen more empathetically.)